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gracefullypunk's review
3.0
This book started off great and slid downhill. While much travel writing is expected to be indulgent -- it is after all, about an intensely personal experience -- the best writers will manage to relate it to the wider world...which many of these writers did. They made you realize it's ok to travel to get over a broken heart, or to prove something to yourself.
But then you get to the end, and the last few entries seem to be thrown together mishmash. I was especially disappointed with the final story, which turned out to be from the Hairpin editor herself. It read like a stream of consciousness blurb on the random travel experiences she'd had when she was younger, but nothing seemed to tie together. It was as though she simply wanted to spit out memories.
Other sections definitely redeemed the book, however.
But then you get to the end, and the last few entries seem to be thrown together mishmash. I was especially disappointed with the final story, which turned out to be from the Hairpin editor herself. It read like a stream of consciousness blurb on the random travel experiences she'd had when she was younger, but nothing seemed to tie together. It was as though she simply wanted to spit out memories.
Other sections definitely redeemed the book, however.
spinstah's review
3.0
This was a fun, light read. I enjoyed the essays, which (as you can guess from the title) focus on the writers' travels. Most of them wrote an essay about one particular trip, but there was one where someone threw together lots of prose snapshots of various trips. Anyway apparently I do not have much to say about this but if you like reading travel stories, and you like the tone of The Hairpin, I'd say to grab this form Amazon (it was a Kindle Serial).
quietjenn's review
4.0
So, I actually subscribed to this back when it was first coming out, because I wanted to see what the Kindle Serials program was like and how it would be to read things as they came out on it and I was a big Hairpin fan. Ooops. That totally didn't work out, huh? The keeping up with a serial thing, not reading the Hairpin (that one is debatable. It did totally make miss a Hairpin led by Zimmerman, though.) I think I only read, like, the first one back then?
But years later, it makes for pretty good bus reading. It's probably stronger than your average collection, just because it's well-curated (there are only eight essays here) and the over-all quality is better than I usually see in things like this. Meaning that even though some of the contributors came off like someone I would *not* like to share a drink with (there's some privilege at work, like, whoa), they all have legit writing chops, solid voice and tell their stories well.
But years later, it makes for pretty good bus reading. It's probably stronger than your average collection, just because it's well-curated (there are only eight essays here) and the over-all quality is better than I usually see in things like this. Meaning that even though some of the contributors came off like someone I would *not* like to share a drink with (there's some privilege at work, like, whoa), they all have legit writing chops, solid voice and tell their stories well.
yooperann's review
4.0
Fans of The Hairpin will enjoy these stories. It's the first Kindle book I've bought that automatically upgrades, and I admit it feels like a gift each time I sync and find another chapter added.
dunneniamh's review
4.0
This was exactly the kind of book I needed to read right now - one that took me away from reality for a little while and told stories of women travelling and exploring new places. There was one essay I didn't enjoy and that's why I can't give it the full five stars, but the others were excellent.
kalizahira's review
5.0
I loved this book. As someone who has traveled extensively this collection of stories captures something that is often missing in popular travel books. A sort of philosophical narcissism that dominates ones personal dialog when you are young and traveling for the purposes of self discovery.
I suppose that doesn't sound particularly appealing but I think lots of people would enjoy this book particularly those who have done their own travel but the slice of life, eclectic adventures covered in this book would also inspire many a new traveler.
I suppose that doesn't sound particularly appealing but I think lots of people would enjoy this book particularly those who have done their own travel but the slice of life, eclectic adventures covered in this book would also inspire many a new traveler.
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